Joel Cross takes home the 2017 R.O. Shearman Medal

Joel Cross has again been recognised as the SANFL coaches' best player, claiming his second R.O. Shearman Medal at the league's annual Hall of Fame and Magarey Medal dinner.

The R.O. Shearman Medal is named after the former Sturt player Bob Shearman, who won five premierships and is a member of the SANFL Hall of Fame, and recognises the player judged best afield by the league's coaches.

Starting in 2000, the R.O. Shearman Medal is voted by each of the leagues senior coaches on a 5-4-3-2-1 vote system to judge best players in each game of the home-and-away season.

In a tight count, Cross claimed his second Shearman Medal with 62 votes, just two preferences ahead of Central Districts ball magnet Nick Holman (60) and only four clear of silky Redlegs operator Matt Panos (58).

Fellow triple-Knuckey Cup winner Nick Liddle also polled well with the coaches, chalking up 51 votes to finish equal sixth.

Cross also won the prestigious medal in 2015 where he polled 88 votes from 18 games, 23 ahead of the next best and is the only South Adelaide player to be bestowed the honour since its inception in 2000.